Training
by The-Emporer-of-Wind
Summary: Where Videl decides to undergo training in a vast forest containing more than natural life forms. In fact, Gohan doesn't think this is a good idea, this mysterious almost-robotic training. Gohan is seldom wrong, but can the forest's "ghost hunter" prove him wrong?


Training -

"So Gohan, how do you get here every morning for school when your house is five hours away?" Erasa asked as her, Gohan, and Sharpner walked down the hallway. Videl was there to of course, but she had stayed out of the conversation so far and was currently showing the floor her serious face, as usual.

Gohan had secretly been dreading this question from the moment he had told them where he lived. He was frankly surprised by the timing though, as it had already been over two weeks from the start of the school year. That, added to the initial shock of having to come up with an answer to her question, was enough to stop him in his tracks.

"Um, uh, I fly?"

"Well, obviously, but what type of jet copter do you fly? And what time do have to leave in the morning to get here on time, anyway?" Sharpner added.

"OH, um, I was using my dad's old 'Nimbus', but, er, a friend fixed it to where I could, um, fly here a bit faster. And I really don't have to leave that early."

"'Nimbus', huh, never heard of it. Must be pretty old." Sharpner said, nodding his head like he'd just figured something out.

"But that still doesn't answer how you get here on time. I mean, yeah, you are late a lot, but still." Erasa pointed out.

"Um, time-zones?" was the rather silly sounding reply.

Luckily for Gohan, the bell rang right after that and the group had to separate to join their respective classes. Gohan and Videl had Algebra, not that either of them needed it, being Orange Star High's star students, while the other two had Geography. It was a brisk walk to the classroom and Videl was silent the entire way with Gohan whistling, trying to kill the awkward silence that had somehow penetrated their whole walk to class. They hadn't really been walking to any specific class earlier, just wandering around the school aimlessly.

It wasn't until they had both sat down in class, next to each other again, that Videl spoke, "So, you're friend has to be pretty rich."

"What? Oh, yeah, I guess, she doesn't really care though, and almost never brings up money except to help people, so I keep forgetting."

This only seemed to sour Videl's mood more, "Maybe I know her. Almost every rich or famous person attends my dad's parties."

"Maybe, but her husband doesn't really, er, like your dad so I don't think she really goes to those. In fact, I don't think you do know her. No offense."

"Try me."

Gohan wasn't sure, but he thought he saw her mood change slightly; maybe it was the challenge that brightened her mood? Or maybe it was just the fact that there was another person out there that wasn't totally enamored by her father.

"Um, heh, Bulma… Briefs..?"

Again her mood shifted, whether for good or bad, Gohan couldn't tell. Her ki had almost exploded on the inside, he was sure, but on the outside she only nodded her head, assumedly lost in thought. Then the teacher came in and all further conversation was cut short, but not before Videl snuck in a, "We'll talk at lunch (the next period), no excuses this time."

Algebra went off without a hitch, everyone knew the answers to the questions, and if they didn't know Videl would step up. If she didn't know, which was rare, Gohan could answer it in heartbeat. Lunch came faster than he realized, probably because he was dreading it and time seemed to fly. His head was racing with answers he would soon have to give, answers he couldn't possibly give, and an escape plan just in case things went wrong all at the same time. Needless to say, he reached the lunch table with a rather large headache.

He took his usual seat, expecting his friends to do the same, but that apparently wasn't the case. Erasa and Sharpner both took seats on the table behind him and then quickly leaned their chairs back so he couldn't escape from either side or backwards. Videl sat across from him at the normal table. It was just as Gohan had feared, this wasn't a conversation anymore. It was an Interrogation.

"Why didn't you tell me you know Bulma Briefs?" Erasa whispered furiously.

Gohan sighed. He had known fully well that she would ask him that, she and Videl told almost everything to each other, this notwithstanding. "Oh, well, you see…"

It was now Gohan finally realized just how effective their formation was. The only physical way he could escape (without hurting anyone) would be to fly, and wasn't that desperate just yet.

"What she means is that we know almost nothing about you Gohan Son and I can't stand not knowing something. You aren't going to be allowed to leave until you've answered our questions to my satisfaction or lunch ends, at which point we would only pick up where we left off tomorrow, understood?"

Gohan eyes widened, this was an entirely new side of Videl that he had never seen before. Also, he noted that they were all wearing sunglasses, but that doesn't really matter. "Fine, but I have a question for you first."

"What is it?"

"Have you been interrogating a lot of criminals these days?"

"It was Erasa's idea. Apparently this is how she gets all her information on who is dating who. Frankly, I feel completely ridiculous. Just play along, okay? " She said, taking off her sunglasses and smiling a bit. "Now, first question, how do you know this 'Bulma Briefs'?"

"Er, she and my dad were old friends; I met her as a kid."

"Okay then, you spoke of your father, who is he? What's his name?"

"He is dead, his name is irrelevant." This last comment caused Vide to harden up, but only momentarily, as she remembered the first statement.

"Hmm, any other family members?"

"I live with my mother and kid brother Goten."

"Alright, how did this 'Bulma' help to speed your travels to and from school every day?"

He hesitated, "Um, she hand-crafted a special, um, apparatus which allows me to use a faster means of transportation than my father's old Nimbus, which now belongs to my brother."

"What kind of transportation is this exactly, and how old is your brother to be given a jet copter as a kid?"

"My brother is seven, the nimbus is not a jet copter, and I fly here each morning."

"I see."

Surprising nearly everyone there, the next question come from Sharpner, who had not waited to see if Videl would continue her roll, "Have you made acquaintance with the husband and child of previously mentioned 'Bulma'?"

Gohan hesitated again, not used to seeing such a somber face on Sharpner, but initially said, "Yes, I have indeed met them."

"And are you aware of the fact that each of them could easily knock a tree down with a punch?"

Gohan gulped, "Yes?'' He didn't like where this was going. In fact, he even thought about possibly hatching another escape plan, perhaps involving a food fight?

"I ask this because I too have met them (Erasa gasped), they came by last year to see the annual Hercule Parade. I could tell none of them wanted to be there, but they had to meet someone or something. Anyway, we were standing next to them in the street and my little brother, around eight at the time, noticed their kid wearing a warrior's outfit and challenged him (Gohan gasped) to a fight. Now, my brother has been top of his karate class since he was five, but this kid was insane. My poor brother Pencin attacked just like he'd been taught using all his energy, but the kid blocked everything easily. He pushed my brother away like he was nothing and my bro flew, literally flew, into my leg. Mrs. Bulma quickly apologized for everything and the kid, Trunks, I learned, backed it up saying he wasn't used to fighting someone with 'soft skin like that' was how he put it. I was astounded, and as the parade ended a couple minutes later I saw them leave. Trunks had been shaking his hand weird though, I remember, like the feel of my brother was really weird. As they left, I saw the kid punch a large tree right outside town. It fell.

(Videl gasped)

"Heh heh, yeah."

"Scared the mess out me and Pencin."

The bell rang, finally ending Gohan's entrapment. Videl told him that they were done for now and they all walked away to go to class. Gohan walked with Sharpner in silence for awhile until he decided to cheer him up. They weren't the best of friends, but he figured it was the least he could do. It wasn't that hard either, a couple questions about the school's sports teams seemed to do the trick. Bragging was one of Sharpner's strong points. The day went by rather normally after that, the only problem being that the teacher's still didn't buy his 'got to go to the bathroom' trick. Gohan needed better excuses, he knew, but he was a terrible liar.

Gohan met Angela on the roof that day; she had made that her hangout place before her parents showed up lately. It wasn't a big deal, even though Gohan was still a little confused about the whole dating thing. All he knew was that they were broken up, everything else was a blur. They greeted each other and talked until her parents showed up, then Saiyaman flew away, leaving the high school behind…

Until tomorrow, of course.

Again nothing completely unusual happened after then that day (related to this story, anyway), but it is worth mentioning that Chichi was overjoyed, if naïve, about Gohan talking to a girl after school every day. Or she would have been if it didn't cut into Gohan's chore time. Happy or not, Chichi was still Gohan's mother.

The next day was slightly odd however.


End file.
